Rudy Yakym

Rudy Yakym
Born	Rudolph Chester Yakym III 24 2, 1984
Birthplace	South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Education	Indiana University South Bend (AS, BS) University of Notre Dame (MBA)
Children	3
Website	[[yakym.house.gov yakym.house.gov] Official site]

Rudolph Chester Yakym III (born February 24, 1984), known as Rudy Yakym, is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for Indiana's 2nd congressional district since November 2022. A member of the Republican Party, Yakym won a special election following the death of Jackie Walorski, who was killed in an automobile accident in August 2022. Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Yakym built a career in business and finance before entering politics, earning degrees from Indiana University South Bend and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He was selected by Republican precinct committee members in Indiana's 2nd Congressional District to serve as the party's nominee in the November 2022 general election, and he subsequently won the seat. Since taking office, Yakym has focused on economic issues, including efforts related to private capital investment in Indiana, and has represented a district that encompasses much of northern Indiana, including the cities of South Bend, Elkhart, and surrounding communities.

Early Life

Rudolph Chester Yakym III was born on February 24, 1984, in South Bend, Indiana. He grew up in the South Bend area, a region in northern Indiana historically associated with manufacturing and the presence of the University of Notre Dame.

Yakym's upbringing in the South Bend community shaped his later career in both business and politics. The broader region of northern Indiana, particularly the Elkhart–South Bend metropolitan area, has long been a center for manufacturing, including recreational vehicle production and other industries. Yakym's familiarity with the economic landscape of the district would later become a central element of his political career.

Education

Yakym attended Indiana University South Bend, where he earned both an Associate of Science degree and a Bachelor of Science degree. He subsequently pursued graduate education at the University of Notre Dame, located in neighboring Notre Dame, Indiana, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA). His educational background combined studies in business and finance, providing a foundation for his subsequent career in the private sector before entering public service.

Career

Business Career

Prior to entering politics, Yakym worked in business and finance in northern Indiana. His professional background included experience in the private sector, where he was involved in business operations and financial management. Yakym's business career was rooted in the northern Indiana economy, and his experience in the private sector later informed his policy positions on economic and business-related issues during his time in Congress.

Selection as Republican Nominee (2022)

On August 3, 2022, U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski, who had represented Indiana's 2nd Congressional District since 2013, was killed in an automobile accident in Elkhart County. Her death created a vacancy on the Republican ballot for the November 2022 general election, as Walorski had already secured the party's nomination in the May primary.

Under Indiana law, the responsibility for selecting a replacement nominee fell to the Republican precinct committee members within the congressional district. On August 20, 2022, the committee members gathered and selected Yakym from among several candidates to serve as the Republican nominee for the November general election. The selection process drew significant attention, as it determined who would represent the Republican Party in a district that had been reliably Republican in recent election cycles.

Yakym's selection was reported by multiple news outlets, including The Washington Post, which noted the process by which Republican officials chose him to replace Walorski on the ballot. As the chosen nominee, Yakym assumed the mantle of the Republican candidacy in a district where the party held a significant electoral advantage.

2022 General Election

In the November 8, 2022, general election, Yakym faced Democratic candidate Paul Steury for the seat representing Indiana's 2nd Congressional District. The district, which encompasses a large swath of northern Indiana including the cities of South Bend, Elkhart, Plymouth, and Logansport, had been represented by Republicans for nearly a decade under Walorski's tenure.

Yakym won the election, securing the seat for the Republican Party. He took office on November 14, 2022, filling the remainder of Walorski's term and beginning his own full term in the 118th United States Congress.

Tenure in Congress

Since taking office in November 2022, Yakym has served as the representative for Indiana's 2nd Congressional District. His tenure has included service during both the 118th and 119th Congress sessions.

Economic and Private Capital Initiatives

Yakym has focused a portion of his legislative agenda on economic issues, particularly those affecting the business and manufacturing communities in northern Indiana. In October 2025, he participated in an event hosted by the American Investment Council and Punchbowl News, where he discussed how private capital was being invested in Indiana. At the event, Yakym stated, "We want to really get on this path of democratizing access to private capital, to allow more Hoosiers to make their own" investment decisions.

Community Engagement and Constituent Services

As a member of Congress, Yakym has engaged in various community-related activities within his district. In January 2026, he participated in a ceremony recognizing Memorial MedFlight for reaching 20 years of emergency air medical service, an event held in Elkhart, Indiana.

In February 2026, Yakym attended a legislative breakfast in Fulton County, where local residents raised concerns about a potential data center development in the area. The event provided an opportunity for constituents to speak directly with their representative and local officials about issues affecting the community.

Prior Government Service

Before his election to Congress, Yakym had some involvement in Indiana state government. He served on the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission, a body involved in the judicial selection process in the state. This appointment provided Yakym with experience in state-level governmental affairs prior to his entry into federal politics.

2026 Re-Election Campaign

In January 2026, Yakym filed for re-election to Indiana's 2nd Congressional District seat. His re-election bid was expected to face a challenge from Democrat Jamee Decio, the daughter of the late philanthropist Art Decio, who announced her candidacy for the seat in November 2025.

Decio's campaign outlined a number of congressional priorities as part of her challenge to the incumbent. The 2026 race represented Yakym's first full re-election campaign since initially winning the seat in the special circumstances of the 2022 election following Walorski's death.

Personal Life

Yakym resides in northern Indiana and has three children. He has maintained his ties to the South Bend and Elkhart communities, where he grew up and built his professional career before entering Congress. His family's roots in the region have been cited as a factor in his connection to the district he represents.

Yakym's official campaign website is hosted at rudyforindiana.com, and his official congressional website is yakym.house.gov.